Marjorie Barnes, Equinox - Brighter Shores (2017)

Marjorie Barnes is one of the world’s great jazz singers and performers. She is possessed with serious vocal chops, a confident and dramatic stage presence, and an ability to deliver a lyric in the manner of the great musical storytellers. She also manages to couple an authenticity and wisdom earned through five decades in the music business with an infectiously youthful and playful spirit. Equinox is a firmly rooted and musically diverse quintet of highly seasoned jazz musicians based in the Netherlands. Led by American guitarist, composer, arranger, and lyricist Dan Nicholas, the band also features Simon Rigter on tenor saxophone, Bob Wijnen on piano, Steve Zwanink on bass, and Marcel Serierse on drums.

The meeting between Marjorie Barnes and Equinox is of a true collaborative spirit. Marjorie’s singular vocal gifts shine brightly over the band’s unique sound and her sharp musical instincts and daring fit hand in glove with the band’s adventurous musical interplay. Marjorie Barnes and Equinox’s music is a seamless blend of original works penned by Dan Nicholas set alongside jazz classics, more contemporary pieces, and favorites from the great American songbook. With Equinox behind her every step of the way, Marjorie brings powerful emotional and personal depth to songs that speak of love, loss, hope, celebration, and the blues.